1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to the detection and classification of repetitive signals and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for detecting and classifying repetitive signals using multiple receiver systems working cooperatively.
2. Background
A receiver system is any system configured to receive energy waves and process these energy waves to identify desired information carried in the energy waves. As used herein, an “energy wave” is a disturbance that propagates through at least one medium while carrying energy. For example, an energy wave may propagate through at least one of a liquid, a gas, plasma, a solid, a vacuum, air, space, and some other suitable type of medium. Energy waves include, but are not limited to, electromagnetic waves, radio waves, microwaves, sound waves, ultrasound waves, mechanical waves, shock waves, and/or other suitable types of energy waves.
Typically, a receiver system includes a transducer and a receiver. A transducer may be any device configured to convert one type of energy into another type of energy. The transducers used in a receiver system are typically configured to receive energy waves and convert these energy waves into an electrical signal. An antenna is one example of a transducer. A receiver processes the electrical signal generated by a transducer to obtain desired information from the electrical signal. The desired information includes information about signals carried in the energy waves.
Oftentimes, energy waves are used to carry repetitive signals. A repetitive signal is a signal that has a time period over which some aspect of the signal repeats. Repetitive signals are used in timing operations, synchronization operations, radar operations, sonar operations, and other suitable operations. For example, the characteristics of a repetitive signal may be used to synchronize two or more devices.
In some situations, a receiver system may receive energy waves carrying a repetitive signal but may be unable to identify desired information about the repetitive signal. For example, the receiver system may be unable to detect and/or classify the repetitive signal. Classifying a repetitive signal may include identifying at least one of, for example, a frequency, a pulse width, a type of modulation, a period, a phase, and/or other suitable characteristics about the repetitive signal.
A number of different factors may affect the capability of the receiver system to identify desired information about the repetitive signal. These different factors may include, for example, without limitation, a size of an antenna in the receiver system, a distance between a transmitter system that transmitted the repetitive signal and the receiver system, a signal to noise ratio (SNR) for the repetitive signal, and/or other suitable factors.
Further, while some currently available receiver systems may be capable of detecting and/or classifying repetitive signals, these receiver systems may be unable to detect and/or classify signals with a desired level of accuracy. Additionally, these receiver systems may require more processing power, resources, time, and/or effort than desired to detect and/or classify repetitive signals.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.